The Missing Heir
by Minit
Summary: Dragon Quest VIII. Angelo finds a girl in a bar in Simpleton and takes her off to the Abbey. Angelo vows to find her family, while Marcello falls in love. OCxM
1. Chapter 1

This is post game, and may have spoilers. Also, we're assuming that Angelo went and found Marcello, and made him come back to the Abbey. Because he's got to be captain, or my story would be crap. Thankies.

* * *

Angelo was sitting in the bar in Pickham, sipping a glass of wine and entertaining a group of ladies. He had given up gambling, and had done great things for the church, but there was no way in hell that he was going to give up his love of the finer things in life; namely wine and pretty women. He had an arm around a bunny girl, and his eye on the pretty girl across the table. He would hardly have noticed when the door opened, but the cold breeze sent him into a frown. A throughly soaked looking girl walked into the bar now, and set her cloak across the back of her chair. He grinned, she was pretty. 

Her long auburn hair would be curly, if it hadn't been so damp. He couldn't see the color of her eyes, but he knew they would be striking. And her mouth was pulled into a frown, he wondered what it would look like when she smiled. She absently pulled a book out of her rucksack, and Angelo decided it was time he made a move. "_For the good of the Abbey_," he told himself. He said goodbye to the bunny girls, and got up.

The motion of him moving caught her eye, and she looked up at him for only a second. Her gaze snapped down when their eyes met, and Angelo noted that they were crystal blue. He leaned over the back of the chair across from her, and smiled coyly. "Mind if I sit here?" He asked. She shook her head, and put her book away. He sat down, and tried to strike up a conversation. "I haven't ever seen you in Simpleton. What's a pretty girl like you doing in a place like this?"

"Passing through," she said quietly. Her voice was quiet, almost musical. He smiled.

"Where are you from?" He asked calmly. Something about her was familiar, though he knew they had never met. Something about her, something he couldn't place...

"Everywhere and nowhere."

"Both at the same time? So you're awfully well traveled for a teenage girl," he was smiling.

"Maybe I am."

"So how old are you?"

"I couldn't say," she replied. "I'm not entirely sure."

"You don't know?"

"No, I don't. And I don't care," she sassed.

"Where's your family then?" He wasn't trying to pry, but he had a pretty good idea she was an orphan. And the Abbey always had room for orphans, especially cute ones.

"I don't know."

"How do you _not know_?" Angelo accused. "Or would rather forget?"

"I don't know. And if I did, I probably would rather forget," she snapped. Angelo sensed it was time to step back.

"How did you get in Simpleton?"

"I walked."

"And-"

"Is this twenty questions or what!"

"Whoah, just trying to be friendly. Look, if you're hungry we can chat over some dinner-"

"I don't need your charity," she spat. He realized then what was familiar about her, she had the air of a noble about her. He had the same feeling about Charmles, Medea and sometimes Jessica.

"I'm just trying to be friendly. I'll go get us some food, and we can get to know eachother a little better." He stood up, and got the two of them dinner. He set her plate down for her, but she didn't even reach for the fork. He also realized that she hadn't even looked up at him except for the time he had originally sat down. "Now, what's your name?"

"I don't...know."

"Well mine is Angelo. I work at the Abbey not far from here, and we take care of orphans, which you seem to be. If you'd like, you can come along with me, in the morning. We'll get you a room, and take care of you."

"I'm not interested, thanks," she said. She was eyeing her food, hungrily, but didn't seem to want to eat it.

"So what are you going to do?"

"Anything I want to do," she replied.

"You know you can eat that, right? I got it for you so you could eat it."

"Uh...thank you..." She nearly smiled, and picked up her fork. She ate ravenously, and he was almost appaled. She must not have had a good meal in a long time. "I'm sorry..." she began after she had finished. "I've been rude to you..."

"Hey, it's a natural defensive mechanism to be rude when you're afraid. You don't need to be afraid of me," he smiled, and could hardly believe what was coming out of his mouth. He was being nice, and hadn't hit on her yet. "What would you like me to call you?"

"I...don't know..." She smiled meekly, almost glanced up at him. He wished she would.

"How about Maella then?" He suggested. She shrugged.

"I guess...What's Maella?"

"It's the name of the Abbey. Really you should come with me."

"I...I guess I could," she smiled, and looked right at him. He was struck by her smile and bright eyes, and he smiled back. Her head snapped back down though, and he frowned. What on earth had given her such an inferiority complex?

"Good then. Tomorrow we'll be heading to Maella. My brother Marcello and I will take good care of you."

"Thank you," she murmered.


	2. Chapter 2

The greeting that they got when they got to the Abbey struck jealousy deep inside Maella. As soon as Angelo had gallantly opened the door for her, and she stepped in, Angelo was glomped. A pretty girl with golden curls in pigtails and striking grey eyes had her arms around him. Maella stepped back, and tried not to listen to their conversation.

"Oooh, Angelo! You've been gone for a while now, almost a week! Don't even send a letter or tell us you're leaving, you scoundrel! Sent Marcello into a fit, you did," she looked like she wanted to slap him. "Where've you been?"

"Travelling. It wasn't like you needed me around here, Kittey," he was smiling a broad and charming smile at her. His girlfriend, Maella supposed.

"No, we didn't really, but you can't just leave and not tell your best pal where you're goooiinnngg." She flicked his nose, and turned to Maella. "Who's this cutie!"

"This is my newest find, Maella." Angelo put an arm around Mae's shoulders, which she shrugged off.

"Another orphan, I presume? You know Marcello's getting fed up with you-"

"I don't give a damn about Marcello being pissed at me. The girl needs a home, and the Abbey has plenty of room. I'm going to go and sucker Marcello into this. Give her a tour or something," he walked off, rather gracefully. Maella watched him go, and turned to the girl named Kittey.

"My names Kittey, dear. I'll take good care of you, everyone at the Abbey will. But you've got to pull your own weight. You can do dishes and sweep and things, right?"

"Yes, ma'am," Maella replied. She stared at the ground, hadn't met Kittey's eyes the entire time. Kitty put a hand on her chin and their eyes met. Mae flinched and looked down an instant later.

"Now, Maella, there's no need to be nervous around here. The Templars are a good bunch, and nobody is going to hurt you. You look like you've been hurt before, darling, but nobody here is going to hurt you." Kittey led her through the main hall, and into the kitchen. "Come on Mae, and gimme a smile. Life here's not that bad."

"Thank you..." Maella managed. She also managed a meek smile, which cheered Kittey considerably. The two of them were doing dishes, while Marcello and Angelo argued upstairs.

* * *

"_Another one, Angelo_," Marcello nearly shouted. "_You've dragged in _another _one!"_

"What do you mean, "another one?" I've never brought a drop-dead gorgeous girl from Simpleton with no memory into the Abbey before," Angelo protested.

"No, but you think you can just bring in any orphan you find!" Marcello was losing his temper, and he knew it. He just couldn't see why Angelo had to flood the Abbey with orphans and ne'er-do-wells. "Where is she going to stay? How long is she going to stay? Is she going to help out around here? What's she going to do?"

"Marcelloooo, I've already got it under control. I've decided she'll be your _personal_ assistant. You could use one of those, seeing the enormous load of paperwork currently on your desk," Angelo grinned, knowing Marcello couldn't argue about the mess on his desk.

"What do we know about this one? Did you get her background, or just decide she was just another face in a room full of whores, who happened to be an orphan?"

"She wasn't _just another pretty face in a room full of whores,_" Angelo hissed. "I wasn't even in a room full of whores."

"Bunny girls then, but really, what's the difference?"

"Bunny girls don't just sleep with you," Angelo protested.

"So what did you do then, get her pregnant?"

"NO."

"You're so..." Marcello cut himself off, unsure of what he was going to say. "Forget it, I've already lost this one. Tell me what you know about her."

"She's got no memory, no family, no name, and an inferiority complex that will break your heart in two."

"What inferio-"

"She'll never look you directly in the eye," Angelo explained. "I think she was probably abused or mistreated wherever she was."

"Mmhmm. And you think she's trustworthy?"

"I do."

"How can you-"

"Look, Marcello, I'm not going to argue with you. I already told her that she could stay, and I'm not about to take that back. She's going to be your assistant, whether you like it or not. You owe me that much."

"Great," Marcello growled. He stood up, turned his back to Angelo. "Bring her in then."


	3. Chapter 3

Angelo found Maella exiting the kitchen with a tray too large for her in her hands, laden down with sandwiches and drinks on it. He smiled good naturedly as he approached her. "Need a hand Mae?"

"No, thanks. I can handle this," she went through the door into the hallway, where a group of rather starved-looking Templars were gathered. She supposed they hadn't eaten all day, the way they scarfed down the two dozen sandwiches she and Kittey had prepared. She hardly noticed that Angelo was speaking to her.

"Marcello has decided to see you," he was saying. Mae was going back to the kitchen to pick up the lemonade. She was half-listening, but nearly spilled the entire tray when Angelo blocked her way in the doorway. "Marcello has decided to see you," Angelo repeated.

"I heard you the first time. Let me through-"

"When Marcello summons you, you're to go directly to him."

"Well right now I'm giving Templars their lunch. Marcello can wait," she was glaring at the floor.

"Give me the tray, and go and meet with him."

"I'm fully capable of carrying this tray, and I'll see Marcello when I get the time to," she said firmly.

"Get Marcello's lunch, and go up to him. Give me that tray," he demanded.

"Get out of my way," she replied.

"Maella, stop being so stubborn!" He snapped. He saw her flinch, and felt bad instantly. There would have been tears in her eyes, he assumed, but when he looked he saw there was nothing but rage. She shoved the tray at him, and roughly snatched the tray that Kittey handed to her. She shoved Angelo aside, which shocked them both. She stormed up the stairs, and nearly threw the doors to Marcello's office.

* * *

"_It's just like Angelo,_" Marcello internally bitched, "_to sucker me into this._" He sat at his desk in his office, scowling and mentally berating himself. He was in a fowl mood when the doors to his office slammed open, and a girl hardly older than 17 stepped in, in just as foul a mood as his. 

"Mister Marcello, your lunch," she declared. The Templars closed the door behind her, as she slammed the tray down onto his desk. A few papers went flying, and Marcello would have been angry if anyone but her had done it. He took a minute to study her, gaze at her almost too-slender body, glance at her auburn curls.

"Please, sit down," he suggested. She sat down in the chair across from him, and noticed that she hadn't met his eyes once. It hadn't quite broken his heart in two, like Angelo had suggested it would, but it made him feel slightly bad. "You're Maella, I presume?"

"Who else would I be?" She snapped. He was quite taken aback by her response.

"Just trying to be friendly. Now, Angelo has told me what he could about you, so I'd like you to fill in the blanks," he was trying to be kind, trying to hold back a temper that flared just as much as hers.

"Tell me what he told you, and I'll go from there," she answered coldly.

"He's told me he found a girl in Simpleton who was an orphan, had no memory, no name, no family, no past and no future. Care to clear any of this up?"

"I think he hit it dead on." She was staring at the floor, glaring at it.

"You think you've got no future?"

"What is this, some kind of interrogation? You don't seem like a counselor to me."

"We can do this the hard way, and be here all day, or we can do this the easy way, and you can go and play all day."

"I don't care," she spat.

"So you don't care to clear any of this up?" Marcello's temper was rising, he was at the end of his patience.

"No, I don't."

"Well for the sake of the Abbey, you'll have to leave then."

"Fine, I'm gone." She stood up to leave, and Marcello suddenly had a change of heart.

"Maella, I can understand why you would want to forget your past, or even pretend to have forgotten, but it's in the Abbey's best interest that you tell us. At least give us a brief outline."

"I won't. I'd rather leave here and never be allowed back than to tell you."

"We can only help you if you'll let us."

"I don't want your help," she hissed. She went to stand, and Marcello stood up too.

"Maella, all we want to do is help you find your family, your past."

"What if I don't want to know?"

"Why would-"

"Look, Marcello, It's been great, really, but I don't want you prying in my past."

"Angelo would like you to stay."

"I don't give a damn about Angelo," she declared.

"Well I do. He's my half-brother, and he saved my life, as much as I don't like to admit it. If he wants you to stay, then I've got to make you stay."

"And how, Mister Marcello, do you suppose you're going to do that?"

"I don't know," he sighed, sat down. "Please, Maella, give me a brief outline, and you can stay. We can help you find your family."

"I don't want to find my family, Mister Marcello. I want to leave this place and never come back," she smiled bitterly.

"Maella, they've probably been looking for you, if you're lost," he was rubbing his temples.

"I'm not lost, okay? I know where I've been, I know I'm not wanted there, okay? So I'm leaving here-"

"We want you here, Maella. We want you at the Abbey. Angelo wants you to become my assistant, to help out around here. I doubted him at first, but I could really use some help with my work. We can give you a place to stay, and food, Maella. All we need to be sure of is that you're safe to be around." He was trying to be soothing, trying to calm her down.

"You want to know, fine. I'll tell you, but I'm not staying here." She paused, went over to the window. "When I was little, probably only five or six, I was taken in by a bunch of bandits. I don't remember how it happened, okay? I just remember being taken to the bandits' lair, becoming a slave. I was highly respected, I guess, because I was the leaders' own personal slave. I can't remember my name, and it's not really that important. I was called "Masters' Slave" or "Girl" most often. I don't have any leads as to who my family might be, because the necklace that I had was promptly confiscated when I was little-"

"Mae-"

"DON'T interrupt me! I had a little bit of freedom, most of the time I would wait on the bandit's leader, or get sent to the treasure room, with a whole unit of guards to make sure that I didn't take anything. A little over a year ago the hideout was found by your Templars. I got away, they set me free or whatever. I've spent the better part of this year travelling from place to place, until that fateful night when Angelo decided that I needed to be looked after."

"Maella," Marcello wasn't sure what to say. "We'd like for you to stay here."

"I've already told you I'm not staying. So, thanks for your time, and your badgering, but I'm out of here."

"Please don't." Marcello's voice was pleading, she stopped, puzzled.

"Give me a reason."

"Angelo-"

"Sorry, but-"

"Then leave. I don't have any other reasons." He watched her turn, open the door, descend down the stairs. He sighed, and knew that Angelo would come inside in a few minutes to tell him off. So he waited.


	4. Chapter 4

Maella stormed out of his office in a worse mood than when she had gone in. She wasn't watching where she was going, and she ran smack-dab into a nice-looking Templar. They fell over, her on top of him, and met him face to face. It wasn't a Templar after all, she realized. It was a man, with gold curls that would have matched hers, and green eyes that were striking. She mumbled something, and stood up, brushing herself off.

"Excuse me, I'm quite sorry," he stood up, smiled at her. She saw he was lean, and dressed like royalty. "My, you're much to pretty to live in a place like this." He was smiling, she was staring at the ground trying to think of a way to quietly excuse herself and leave.

"Prince Charmles, it's been quite a while," Maella heard Angelo beside her. "What are you doing at the Abbey?"

"I came to visit Marcello," the prince answered. He was grinning. "And happened to bump into this young lady. Not that I mind, she's quite lovely." He winked, and went into the office. Angelo scoffed, and turned to Maella.

"Did he hurt you?" He wondered. "Are you all right?"

"I can't stay here," she replied. "I'm leaving." Before she could even turn, he caught her arm.

"Maella, what's wrong? If Marcello-"

"This isn't about Marcello, this is about me leaving. I like your Abbey, and you've been more than kind to me, but I can't stay here."

"Maella, you can't. We need you at the Abbey, here. Marcello needs you. We could really use an extra pair of hands, and you're just the kind of person we need."

"I can't. You don't even know me." She shook his arm off, glared at the floor. He knew there would be fury in her eyes, if only she would look at him.

"I won't beg," Angelo fumed. He leaned closer to her, their noses almost touching. "You must stay, Maella. Where else are you going to go?"

"Anywhere. Anywhere but-" She was stopped when his lips met hers, just barely brushed together. She gasped, and slapped him. "What the hell?"

"I thought I could convince you to stay," he was grinning. "Did it work?"

"No, no it didn't, and I'm leaving." She spun on her heels, and started to walk away. He followed her, stopped her again, kissed her briefly.

"Now, will you stay?"

"No," she hissed. "And stop-" He was grinning as he cut her off again, with a more passionate kiss. She scowled at him, and slapped him harder than she had before. "I'll stay, now get off of me."

"Aww, but-"

"Angelo, are you badgering her?" Marcello was behind them, arms crossed, a very disapproving look on his face.

"Naw, guv-" Angelo began. He winked at his older half-brother, and Maella scurried off towards the kitchen.

"You ought to know better," Marcello scowled.

"I ought to, but I don't care."

"Well I do. You keep your hands and other body parts off of that girl. She's had enough hardship and doesn't need you-"

"What, you've got a thing for her?" Angelo was grinning, had both eyebrows raised.

"No, I don't-"

"You and Charmless have something going on?" Angelo knew he was touching a nerve, but didn't care.

"There's nothing between Prince Charmles and I. We're working on a project together, thanks."

"What's wrong, Marcello, snotty prince-boy not your type?"

"I'm not GAY, Angelo."

"Oh, my bad." Angelo whirled on his heels and went down the stairs in a huff. Charmles exited Marcello's office, and Marcello stormed back into it, determined to cool off before he called for Maella. Before that though, he had to calm down, had to try not to think that Angelo had been right on. He did have a crush on Maella, and there was nothing between him and Charmles. But... Marcello had decided not to do anything about his crush. Maella would of course fall for Angelo, instead. And he would have nothing. Again.


	5. Chapter 5

Marcello was sitting at his desk, enjoying the sandwiches and cold lemonade that Maella had brought him. He hadn't given a second thought to the papers that were now scattered on his floor, and he almost smiled when Maella swept into the room. There was a scowl on her face, and she made a face before giving a small bow.

"Kittey said to come up and get your tray, Mister Marcello."

"Take it, if you want it," he was in a good mood, and she was looking exceptionally pretty. She took the tray in one hand, and stooped to pick up the papers she had knocked down a few hours earlier.

"I'm sorry," she began, "for making a mess of your things. It won't happen again, I swear."

"Maella, it doesn't matter," he was smiling, there was a light in his green eyes. "Did Angelo bother you earlier?"

"He didn't mean it," she replied coldly. "He didn't know any better."

"What-"

"Look, I know I'm not pretty or anything, so you don't have to pretend that he did it because he couldn't help himself. He just forgot that it was me." She shrugged, and gave a laugh that was supposed to be light.

"You know that's not true. You're very stunning-" Marcello stopped, noting the look on her face.

"Don't start on me," she demanded. She swept out of the room as quickly as she had come, and Marcello instantly knew he had made a mistake. He had said something too early. And he had plenty of time to beat himself up about it, mentally, because she wouldn't be back until Kittey sent her in with dinner, or to get the plates. Kittey would make sure they had contact, he decided, because Angelo had already blabbed about her being his "personal assistant."

He was startled, to say the least, when she came back a few minutes later, with a pitcher in one hand, and a broom in the other. She set the pitcher down on his desk, and began to sweep. He scowled at her, then mentally yelled at Kittey and Angelo. They had probably sent her in to clean because they assumed that's what he wanted. He sighed.

"Mae, you don't have to-"

"Kittey told me to," she replied. She smiled meekly, her eyes still on the floor, and shrugged. "Besides, what else is there to do?"

"You could," Marcello stopped himself, apalled at what he had almost suggeted. "Take the day off," he finished lamely.

"I just got here," she replied quietly. She had almost mouthed off to him. "It's not like your room couldn't use a bit of cleaning."

"Right," Marcello managed. He sighed. "Mae, you're not my maid."

"Okay, thanks," she opened the windows, smiling at the fresh breeze, and the papers that were flying around the entire room.

"No, I mean you don't have to clean my office. You're supposed to be my assistant."

"Right, and I'm assisting you to maintain a clean office." She was grinning from ear to ear, he could tell.

"I don't want you to clean my office."

"Well what am I supposed to do, then?"

"I don't care," he spat. She narrowed her eyes, turned to look at him.

"Marcello, if something is wrong, you can talk to me about it," she looked sincere.

"There's nothing to talk about. I didn't want you for a maid, Angelo said "assistant." And I don't want you to think that you've got to clean my room, or organize my paperwork."

"So what do you want me to do?" She chanced a look at his face, the black hair that hung to his shoulders, sideburns that defined his cheeks, green eyes that could see right through you. She turned, grinned to herself.

"If I told you what I wanted you to do, it would be inappropriate, and wrong. So what I'm going to say is go to the library, find a book, and curl up with it. If I need you, I'll send someone to find you."

"Uh," she was confused. He was giving her free time? "Did I-"

"Go to the library, Maella, and enjoy a book. You can read, can't you?"

"A little," she managed. "Not very well."

"Then get a book, and bring it here, and I'll help you." The look in her eyes was of joy, and confusion.

"You would do that for me?" she wondered aloud.

"Of course I would. Go on, and don't come back until you've got a book."

"Right Mister Marcello, sir," she was smiling, and a hint of carefreeness was in her voice. She left, and Marcello sighed, ran a hand through his hair. The look she had given him, the glance that had all but sized him up, had shaken him. It was...intriguing. He wondered what she had been thinking.

* * *

Maella had Angelo escort her to the library, and the sight of it had shaken her. It wasn't huge, by any means, but it was charming. The room was circular, and stairs going off of one side went upstairs to what Angelo described as the Abbots' quarters. He also told her that there was no Abbot, currently. Then he had stood there, smiling, as she searched the bookcases. She could read a little, and she picked a book at random to begin with. 

"Is this one any good," she wondered. Angelo furrowed his brow, shrugged.

"I don't know. The only kinds of books I read have pictures of-" he stopped himself, grinned.

"Well... " she smiled, and put it back on the shelf. "Help me find one on Ascantha."

"Trodian," he repeated. "The Kindom, the Castle, the Royalty?"

"I don't care, anything."

"Why-"

"I heard about Ascantha a long time ago, and the name stuck. I want to know, now."

"Okay," he smiled, there was an authority in her voice similar to the one Marcello used. He couldn't resist brushing his hand along her arm as he passed, which she glared at. And before she could say anything, he was passing her a book, cornering her, and brushing his lips on hers. She slapped him, which he should have expected, and backed off.

"Why do you keep doing that?" She demanded.

"Because I want to," he replied. There was a grin on his face, along with a red slap mark.

"Well stop it. I don't want you er...flirting with me."

"Why, Mae? Do I intimidate you?"

"Yes you do. And Marcello-"

"Damn Marcello. Have you got a thing for him?"

"What? No! He's my-"

"He's your supervisor. Not your owner, got it?"

"What the hell is wrong with you?" She demanded. Still, her eyes were on the ground. "I didn't-"

"You didn't have to say it, Mae. I saw it in your eyes."

"Liar," she hissed. But he put a hand on her chin, and their eyes met.

"Don't be angry with me, Mae darling. I don't mind if you've got a thing for my half-brother, that just means I'll have competition."

"Competition," she repeated, confused.

"Competition, Maella. Because I want you, and so does he." He was grinning, loving her obvious confusion.

"Wha-" But as soon as he had begun to speak, he turned, and walked out the door. She stood for a few minutes, flipping through the book, and headed towards Marcello's Office.


End file.
